A study from Trinity College Dublin has found that teenagers' reduced attention spans may predict their use of tobacco and cannabis later in life.
Sustained attention, or the ability to maintain focus on a task for long periods of time, is an important cognitive skill. Drug use, particularly cannabis use, is associated with impaired attention.
However, the Irish researchers said the “key question” was whether the attention deficit was always present or whether it was caused by drug use.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal eLife, found that declines in sustained attention and related brain network activity at age 14 predicted further increases in tobacco and cannabis use by age 23. It was discovered for the first time that Departments of Psychology and Medicine suggest that sustained attention and related brain activity could be used as early biomarkers of vulnerability to substance use.
The study included analysis of brain imaging data from more than 1,000 participants in the Imagen study at ages 14, 19, and 23.
At age 14, they entered an MRI scanner where they performed tasks, some of which involved elements that required sustained attention. None of the participants at this age had ever used cannabis.
They then repeated the process with 19-year-olds and 23-year-olds who had used cannabis to see if there were any behavioral or brain differences before using cannabis.
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Rob Whelan, professor of psychology at Trinity University who led the research team, said the study found a direct correlation between inattention and cannabis use due to “cognitive differences”.
“There were pretty strong brain markers that indicated there was a pre-existing vulnerability there,” he says.
Most of the participants were “recreational” smokers, and a small number were “very heavy users” of cannabis.
He said that while the attention span of heavy users was “definitely worse,” the ability to maintain attention for recreational users was similar before and after using cannabis.
Researchers found that there was “no relationship” between alcohol and sustained attention at these ages.
Professor Whelan said: “The prevalence of tobacco and cannabis use among adolescents and young adults in Ireland and elsewhere is a major public health concern, with significant long-term health consequences.” .
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“By identifying that poor sustained attention is a predictor of drug use, our findings suggest that there is a need to improve attention in adolescents identified as vulnerable to drug use. This proactive approach could lead to the development of targeted educational programs and cognitive training interventions. This proactive approach reduces the risk of substance abuse, improves the lives of individuals, and reduces the social burden associated with addiction. It may be reduced.”
